The Odyssey: Vocabulary Unit One

  1. Abyss [n] the cavity of the lower world; the infernal pit; a bottomless gulf or void
  2. Affront (n) an offense to one’s dignity, pride, an act of disrespect; [v.] to offend by a public display of disrespect
  3. Ambrosia (n) food/ nectar of the gods
  4. August [adj) inspiring or majestic
  5. Banter [n) an exchange of lighthearted remarks; a witty exchange
  6. Beguile [v) to charm, amuse/distract, delude
  7. Berth [n] sufficient distance for maneuvering a ship; an amount of distance maintained for safety
  8. Blanche [verbal n] the action of making something white; verb – to bleach
  9. Blazon [v] to proclaim or show publically
  10. Blithe (adj) blissful, happy
  11. Bole [n] the stem or trunk of a tree or clay
  12. Brackish (adj) slightly salty
  13. Broach (v) to mention, to suggest something for the first time
  14. Brusque (adj) blunt in manner or speech often to the point of harshness
  15. Burnished (adj) polished, gilded
  16. Cadge [v] to beg or impose upon one’s kindness
  17. Callous (adj) being insensitive, cruel and/or unsympathetic
  18. Chafe (v) to make sore, to irritate by rubbing;
  19. Charlatan (n) someone who pretends to have more knowledge/experience than they actually have; a quack
  20. Chide (v) to scold or nag

Part One

Use the context of the sentences to fill in the blanks with the given vocabulary words.

  1. As silly as it sounds, good food makes me as xxx as a six-year-old meeting Santa.
  2. Because of their constant xxx, the audience was sure that they were in a relationship; however, they were just co-hosts.
  3. Her mother xxxed her because she continued to eat the dog’s food.
  4. His dimpled chin and casual smirk xxxed me into adoration so strong that I failed my Algebra test because I was dreaming of our life together.
  5. I attempted to xxx the possibility of going to the party with my mom, but she has apparently turned into a giant crab whose sole purpose in life is pinching my every step toward freedom.
  6. I consider curry and truffles to be modern examples of xxx.
  7. I try to maintain a sufficient xxx following my mom down the highway, but she drives like she’s eighty-years-old, so I always end up tailgating.
  8. Juan had to stop jogging because of secondary infection caused by the xxx(ing) that occurred when his shorts rubbed his thighs raw.
  9. Last month the “Black Madam” was charged with murder after being proved a(n) xxx. Two of her patients died after being injected with superglue and industrial silicone in an attempt to augment their gluteus maximus.
  10. My best friend sometimes xxx (s) meals from me by purposely coming over at dinner time.
  11. Professor Spock’s xxx response to my verbal blunder left me completely embarrassed. She could have at least explained why my response was wrong.
  12. She was a pretty girl until a night of driving and texting caused her to crash into the xxx of an oak. Afterwards her face looked as if Lil’ Kim designed her plastic surgery.
  13. Sometimes I wonder if my son finds me xxx because I laugh when he falls. But falling from a bean bag is amusing.
  14. The community xxxed their support of the local school referendum by posting signs in their yards.
  15. The depth of his knowledge was truly a(n) xxx. There was no question he could not answer.
  16. The earrings were xxx gold spiders that hung from chains to her shoulders.
  17. The Grand Canyon is so xxx that it will literally cause you to gasp.
  18. The stew was a(n) xxx mix of lentils, carrots, and curry that caused my mouth to look like ash bark.
  19. When told I had to take my baby into surgery at seven months, I xxxed to the color of a cotton ball.
  20. Politics is often a(n) xxx to one’s sense of ethics.

Part Two

Create your own sentences. You may change the tense of the word.

Part Three

Match the synonym with the word

  1. Abyss
  2. Affront
  3. Ambrosia
  4. August
  5. Banter
  6. Beguile
  7. Berth
  8. Blanche
  9. Blazon
  10. Blithe
  11. Bole
  12. Brackish
  13. Broach
  14. Brusque
  15. Burnished
  16. Cadge
  17. Callous
  18. Chafe
  19. Charlatan
  20. Chide
/
  1. amrita, nectar
  2. berate, reproach, reprimand
  3. finesse, hoodwink, manipulate
  4. buffed, furbished, glazed
  5. earth, mud, terra cotta
  6. broadcast, exhibit, publish
  7. con, cheat, phony
  8. chasm, fissure, gorge
  9. mooch, scrounge, bum
  10. curt, snappy, blunt
  11. exchange, repartee, raillery
  12. abrade, grate, scrape
  13. provocation, insult, vexation
  14. briny
  15. mirthful, sprightly, carefree
  16. area, division, portion
  17. resplendent, exalted, grandiose
  18. introduce, advert, propose
  19. recoil, pale, shrink
  20. unaffected, indifferent, apathetic

Part Four

Illustrate the vocabulary words. All words must have hand-rendered drawings.

Part Five

Be ready for the quiz on Friday.